For New Yorkers looking to get their hands dirty with a little container gardening this spring, help isn’t far away. We’ve talked a lot about container gardening here at Urban Gardens, but sometimes it’s nice to have some hands-on training. To learn how to make the most out of your gardening space—which we understand might not be much—check out these adult education classes in the city.

ardening doesn’t have to be difficult. But it helps to have a teacher.Image: Shutterstock

On May 4th, the New York Botanical Garden will be offering an “All About Containers” program at the Watson Education Building. Interested participants can attend one, two, or three different classes about container gardening: Container Gardening 101, Great Native Plants in Containers, or IncrEDIBLE Containers. Classes begin at 10 AM, with the last concluding at 5 PM. Sessions are $38 each ($34 for members) or $102 for all three ($92 for members). Check out class descriptions and register on the New York Botanical Garden’s website.

Another chance to learn about container gardening will happen on May 18th, once again with three possible sections to attend. “Contain Your Urban Enthusiasm” will be held at the Midtown Education Center in Manhattan, and will offer Container Gardening 101, Veggies and Herbs for Containers, and Container-Garden Recipes for Shade. The cost is the same as the previous NYBG “All About Containers” program.

If you’re wondering why on earth anyone would attend a class just to plant some shrubs in a pot, consider this: plants flourish or fail depending on a variety of factors. How much sun your garden space gets and how often you are able to care for plants both inform what types of flora will flourish. Plus, if you’re planting edibles, you will want to make sure you’re keeping those plants healthy and putting them in an ideal environment. No one wants to care for a plant only to have it die. Classes like this can provide valuable insight and make the experience less frustrating and more enjoyable.